It's Too Soon
by AmaroZuko
Summary: What happens after Lilly is shot and brought to the hospital? How will she, her entire squad, especially her partner, Scotty, make it through this?
1. Chapter 1

Hello, my fellow Cold Case fanfiction readers!

So, I, like a lot of people I have discovered, didn't start shipping Lilly and Scotty together until the episode "Stalker", especially the last few minutes. It's just so obvious when he's holding her to him and demands for Jeffries to get the paramedics. I just knew it in my heart they were meant to be together. Even though I know they don't, but I haven't quite finished to whole series yet. Close.

But here is Scotty thinking about Lilly as she's brought to the hospital after being shot. I might continue with it, maybe not. I have some extra stuff written for it, but I don't know. I'll sit on it for a few days.  
Anyway, enjoy!

* * *

"Lilly Rush, female, G.S.W. to the chest. No exit wound, last B.P. 60 over 40." The paramedic shouts to the heap of doctors after jumping from the back of the rig. Scotty is right behind him, shock still overwhelming his entire body. He has absolutely no idea what to do. It all had happened so fast that he hasn't had time to react.

_He got me._

Those three words ring repeatedly though Scotty's head as he tries to make any sense of it. He'd been so focused on making sure that monster was dead that he'd completely forgotten Lilly was even in the room.

Scotty blinks as the flurry of doctor's in trauma gowns shove him out of the way. He can barely remember his own name at this point, and it's not like any of them pay him any mind. He wasn't the one shot by a maniac.

_I'm not the one who's dying._

The thought hits him so hard, he chokes on the air he'd been taking in.

What would he do without her? Sit back and listen as everyone falls apart over it? Get blamed for it? Die himself?

He should have just stayed outside and listened to that idiot from SWAT.

He did this to himself, and to Lilly.

The whole accident falls to the pit in his stomach like a block of iron. The gunshots, his partner's blood spattered on the wall, the paramedics, the ambulance ride.

The ambulance bay is cleared out by the time he's brought back to reality. It's only because he's alone that he can bring himself to say it.

"He got her."


	2. Chapter 2

Hello, again! I've been super busy the past few days. A bunch of my coworkers left because of school, which means I've had to work more to cover the lost people. Then I started class on Tuesday, so add all of that together, and it somehow equals me not being able to do anything I WANT to do.

Anyway, thanks to my reviewers, imsoproudofyou, and jjgeraghty! I really appreciate the kind words, I really do! Here's the next chapter to the story. I hope it's okay!

The bold is Lilly's thoughts, and the italics are the doctor's speaking.

* * *

**You wanna shoot me? You wanna shoot me? Shoot me now!**

**You're gonna die.**

**Then do it already! Shoot me! Do it now!**

Lilly's eyes snap open and instantly feels a sharp, searing, pain rush throughout her entire body. Her first instinct is to curl up in a little ball to protect herself. She begins by slowly attempting to move her hands, but finds she can't. In fact, she finds she can't move any part of her body. Her massively dilated blue eyes begin widely searching around, only to be met with blobs of green.

**What's happening? Where am I?**

She opens her mouth to speak but realizes one of the blobs is holding some sort of mask against her face that's releasing puffs of air. She starts to open her mouth again, but tastes something metallic, so instead, she roughly hacks, spraying crimson fluid into the plastic.

_"She's coughing up blood!"_

A distorted voice shouts from above.

**Blood? Who's bleeding?**

_"Decreased breath sounds on the right! Set up a chest tube, now!"_

A different voice demands with thick urgency.

**That person needs help!**

Lilly summons up all the strength she has to turn her head to the right, managing to knock off the mask in the process. Instantly, the smell of chemicals infiltrates her nostrils. It churns the bile in her stomach resulting in her spitting up more blood.

She gasps, feeling a sudden clenching tightness in her chest. With each breath she takes it constricts to the point where she no longer feels any pain.

_"She's crashing!"_

Black spots pop up in her vision, but before it completely can take over, a woman peers down over her face. The woman shakes her head, clearly full of disappointment.

Lilly's deep blue eyes widen in full surprise.

"Mom?"


	3. Chapter 3

Hola!

Thanks for all the follows! I really appreciate it(:

Sorry this chapter isn't longer, I've just been so busy with homework and actual work. Next chapter will be longer, I've already started on it!

Enjoy!

* * *

Scotty paces the waiting room, fingers continuously raking through his wavy black hair.

"What is she dies? She can't die." He chokes out, his hands starting to shake out of realization.

_Why do I always have to be the hero?_

He places both hands on the sides of his extremely throbbing head. He's never really been the best handler of stress, but in this moment, it's plaguing his entire body.

But honestly, how is he supposed to remain relaxed?

He takes a deep breath, rubbing his temples to try and center himself.

It's short lived though when he hears a bunch of people start screaming from down the hall.

* * *

"She's crashing!" One of the doctor's alert after watching Lilly's eyes flutter shut and lips part slightly. He knows even before the monitors start beeping that she's about to flatline.

At the sound of the screeching monitors, a group of specially trained trauma nurses and doctor's rush around Lilly's bed, shouting instructions and demands.

"Bag her!'

"Pushing one of epi!"

"Starting manual CPR!"

A defibrillator had been wheeled in when the trauma team was called in. The head doctor grabs the paddles and situates them so they are hovering right above Lilly's bleeding chest.

"Charge to 360!"

The machine gives a high pitch whine, informing them it's fully charged.

"1, 2, 3!"

The electrified jolt violently shakes Lilly, but doesn't bring her back.

"Charge to 400!" He demands, sending more charges through Lilly's body. A few heavily suspenseful moments later, her chest rises then falls, and the monitors start beeping normally again.

A collected sigh of relief is released throughout the room; she's back.


	4. Chapter 4

Sh'mello everyone! Sorry I haven't updated, I was at a wedding over the weekend in Georgia, and I came down with a pretty nasty cold a few days before I left. It's one tough bugger, I'm still not completely over it.

Ah! Side note: ONE MORE WEEK UNTIL SVU! Which means we get to see the wonderful, smart, and utterly handsome, Detective Nicholas Amaro! I can't wait!

Also one more week until Chicago P.D.,Chicago Fire, and Grey's Anatomy!

To pass the slow ticking time, I will be watching the 95 episodes of Cold Case I have taped on my DVR. Yay!

* * *

Outside in the surgical room waiting room sits Scotty. He feels like he's going to pass out just sitting down, let alone standing up and pacing like he feels like he should be doing. He sighs heavily through his mouth while watching the doors waiting for someone to come out with news.

He's so intent on watching those doors, that he doesn't notice Kat and Nick storm their way in.

After their statements were taken by IAD and making sure the Boss was taken care of, both Detectives booked their way over to the hospital to get an update.

Neither of them are calm, which is a bit odd because at least one person out of the unit is always put together.

Kat makes a beeline towards the front desk on the other side of the room. She ignores the mutters of protest from others in the line as she maneuvers her way up to the front.

"I need a status update on Lilly Rush." She demands without hesitancy.

"I'm sorry," The nurse sitting behind the desk replies. "I'm only allowed to give information to immediate family."

Kat's frown deepens and her expression turns dark. She lifts the hem of her shirt, flashing her badge in the process. The nurse's eyes widen for split second at the obvious attempt of intimidation, but she's quick to regain her composure.

"I'm sorry, Detective," She repeats, her voice hard. "I can't give you any information until I get some clarification on Ms. Rush's condition."

Kat slams her hands down and leans over the counter, getting in the woman's face.

"Listen here, I don't-"

"Kat!" Nick interrupts and yanks the furious woman back a few feet, much to the nurse's relief. Kat whips around, ready to snap Nick's arm off, but is cut off when he points to Scotty.

"Scotty," She calls out. Her occasional partner tears his gaze away from the surgical doors and gives a broken half smile. She sends a silent 'thank you' for him being safe. "You're here."

"You okay?" Nicks asks with the same amount of concern as the woman next to him. The worn out man blinks a few time then takes in a deep breath.

"I'm fine, don't worry about me." He mutters. The two relax a tad, but shift uncomfortably about asking what they really want to know.

"How's Lilly?"

"Don't know," He says with misery written all over his face. "No one'll tell me anythin'."

"Well, what did you last hear?" Nick asks quietly. The sight of his friend so disheveled has his heart thumping. He plops himself down in the chair next to him and tugs on the collar of his neck to get more air.

"Somethin' about the bullet hittin' her lung? Maybe it collapsed?" He replies unsurely and gives a heavy shrug. That's just stuff he'd heard while a nurse was leading him to the waiting room.

"God." Kat whispers, bringing a hand up to cover her mouth.

"I think she's in surgery now. Haven't seen her since we got off the ambulance." Scotty finishes.

Nick inhales sharply and tugs on his tie again. At least she'd been alive when she got here, but thinking about her having surgery is making him ill. Kat isn't fairing any better. The tapping of her foot grows faster with every second that passes. She and Lilly are the only females in the whole Unit. How is she supposed to handle everyone without her?

"How's the Boss doin'? Scotty questions after a few minutes of silence. He's been so wrapped up with Lilly, he's almost forgotten his Boss had been shot too.

"It's a through and through, but they're worried about nerve damage," Nick says. "So much for a clean shot, huh?"

Scotty falls in the back of his chair, eyes clenched shut.

"Lill's prob'ly dead, and now the Boss might not be the same?"

"I can't take this." Scotty mutters, his entire body breaking out into a cold sweat. He can hear his heartbeat roaring in his ears, a numbness shoots up his spine, and then, almost like he's fallen asleep, he collapses.


	5. Chapter 5

Hi, hi, hi! Thanks for the kind words in the reviews. I really appreciate it(:

Special Announcement: Chicago Fire is back on tonight, and I have no idea how I'm going to make it through the rest of the day. I'm honestly so fidgety, my professor even asked what was wrong with me. I might be a little obsessed.

I just can't wait to scream at the television, and possibly cry from the horribleness that the writer's have created. It will be GREAT.

* * *

"Scotty!"

His two partners exclaim before Kat falls heavily to her knees. She glances around the room with anxiety while Nick shouts for help. The nurse at the front desk pushes a button and like magic, another nurse is on the scene.

"What happened?" She demands with a firm voice, bending over Kat who has Scotty loosely in her arms.

"We were talking to him, and he just collapsed," Nick explains as he helps the nurse get Scotty to his feet. "He was in a shooting." He's slightly surprised how thick his voice sounds.

"I'll grab a wheelchair." She says before disappearing back down the hallway.

* * *

Down in the OR, the lead surgeon is just about to start packing up Lilly's chest wound. The surgery's been going without much difficulty. They've been keeping a close eye on her blood pressure ever since she had coded earlier. Since then, Lilly's been the picture perfect patience.

That is until her wound starts bleeding again.

"Got a bleeder, gauze!"

The surgical nurse tosses a handful of gauze to him while helping apply pressure to Lilly's chest. The OR has fallen silent again, except for the slightly elevated beeping of the monitors. The rest of the staff watch in wonder as the surgeon works without a pause to fix the bleeder.

It takes a little bit longer than he wants, but he eventually gets it under control.

"Alright, I think we've been in here long enough. Let's get her repacked and up to the ICU." He concludes with a scratch to the head. "We'll bring her back down in a few days to close the wound and take out the chest tube."

_"Now we just wait for her to wake up."_

* * *

Nick, Kat, and the nurse, have managed to get Scotty into the wheelchair and have him on the way to an examination room. However, right before turning the corner, the Detective jolts out of his unconscious state and somehow places both feet on the ground to avoid being rolled any further.

"Let me go, I'm fine," He argues, his anger directed mostly at himself. The nurse senses his urgency and crouches down to his eye level.

"Mr. Valens, my name's Ellie," She introduces with a warm smile. "You passed out, so I'm just going to check you out real quick."

"Like hell you are," He harshly snaps. "You ain't the boss of me, so I'm goin' back to wait for news on my partner." He finishes after pushing himself out of the chair. He falters for a second, not enough for anyone to notice, and begins making his way back.

"Valens!" Kat shouts and takes off after his retreating form. Nick stays behind, knowing better than to go after a rage induced Scotty. He turns to Ellie and sticks his hand out.

"Nick Vera. Sorry about Scotty, he's a stubborn bastard." Nick apologizes on his friend's behalf.

"It's fine," Ellie counters with the shake of her head. "I've been a nurse for twenty years, I'm more than used to it."

"One of our Detectives was shot, and Scotty was there when it happened," Nick continues with a downcast expression. "He's just worried about her."

Ellie's eyes widen when she makes the connection.

"You mean Detective Rush? Bullet wound to the chest?"

Nick's gaze lowers at the reminder of what happened to his friend, causing him to nod mournfully. Ellie gives a sympathetic smile and reaches for the pager that's clipped on her scrubs.

"I'll page the OR and see if I can get an update for you." She offers, perking Nick up remotely.

"Thanks."

True to his word, Scotty's back in the waiting room, twitching in the chair he's sitting in. Not because he chose to, but because Kat had shoved him down and threatened to knock him out again if he even thought about getting up. He waits, hoping no one had shown up with news while he was out.


	6. Chapter 6

PJ BYRNE THE VOICE OF BOLIN FROM LEGEND OF KORRA FAVORITED ONE OF MY TWEETS. I AM STILL FREAKING OUT OVER IT. I FEEL SO, SO, NOTICED AND IMPORTANT.

Anyway, it is Sunday, which is my only day off during the week. So I have spent it writing, er, typing, and marathoning The Legend of Korra. I got through the first season, which I forgot how awesome it is, and now I'm on the second season, which isn't nearly as good. The final season starts Friday, and I want to remember what happened. I'm going to miss it so much ):

Also, the premieres of all my shows were absolutely wonderful. I recommend everyone watch Chicago P.D., Chicago Fire, SVU, Grey's Anatomy, and one of my new favorites, How To Get Away With Murder. Go, right now!

* * *

"I have an update on Lillian Rush?"

The three Detective's heads snap up, and the surgeon suddenly has all the attention wrapped around his blue scrubs covered body.

"She's alive, right?" Kat asks, trying to keep her bottom lip from quivering. Her eyes scan the surgeons face, but finds nothing except professionalism. It's obvious he's been through this a million times before.

"It was touch and go at first, we almost lost her, but she should be fine."

There's a loud whooshing sound; compliments of three of Philly's finest letting out a simultaneous sigh of absolute relief. Scotty's standing there, mouth slightly agape, eyes swimming with solace and the color returning to his face.

He wants to speak, but has no idea what to say, like the words are glued to the back of his throat. His mind is a scrambled mess, all of those horrific scenarios from earlier vanishing like smoke. He can't keep focusing on what had happened, only on what's going to happen.

Kat, sensing her friends nerves, puts a reassuring hand on his shoulder and smiles.

"She's alive, Scotty. She's alive."

* * *

After what seems like 50 nurses flow in and out of Lilly's room for vital checks, Scotty's finally left alone with her. She looks awful, all the tubes and wires hooked up to her body, and she's pale, much too pale.

But she's alive, and that's what matters.

Scotty cautiously tip-toes up to her bedside to take the seat that's situated right next to her head. He set his elbows on his knees and just watches the slight rise and fall of her chest.

"That's right Lil, in and out," He whispers to her unconscious form. The longer he stares at her, the more pressure he feels pressing against the back of his eyes. He can't stand this, simply sitting here, waiting for her to wake up. "You gotta wake up, Lil. Please." There's a crack in voice he didn't know could exist.

It's the loudest silence that Scotty Valens has ever dealt with in his life. He slowly moves up to Lilly's face, wishing he could see those beautiful blue eyes again. He needs a sign, even the tiniest bit of movement, to give him some hope.

Through the glass window outside in the hall, Nick observes as Scotty buries his head into his hands. He shoves his own into his pants pockets and shakes his head.

"He looks exhausted." Nick comments. "He should take a few hours to rest up. It's not like Lil's going anywhere."

"You really think he's going to leave her ?" Kat asks, giving him a serious look. She knows Nick isn't the smartest person in the Universe, but if he can't see what's happening right before his eyes, she's been dead wrong for years.

"What do you mean?"

"You really are dumber than you look." Kat scoffs before stalking off in search of coffee.

Nick watches her disappear with a look of complete confusion.

"Is it something I said?"

* * *

It hadn't taken long for Scotty to fall asleep in the chair. It's not like he meant to, but the stress of the day has taken a real toll on his body. Before he can fall into a deep one, he's awoken with a gentle tap on the shoulder.

"Detective Valens?"

It's Ellie and the doctor they've come to know as Dr. Casey. The Boss is in the room this time too, his left arm pinned tightly against his chest.

Scotty shoots up in his seat and his attention instantly lands on the hospital bed with alarm. Lilly's still there in the same position as before, which he assumes is better than nothing.

"She's fine, improving by the minute." Ellie reassures him with kind smile. The tone of her voice intertwined with her words gives him comfort.

"Is there something we should know?" John questions from across the room.

"We're going to bring Detective Rush back down to the OR tomorrow to close her wound and hopefully take out the chest tube. She'll stay on the ventilator overnight just as a precaution. She's not strong enough to breath on her own quite yet," Dr. Casey informs them, flipping through the notes on his clipboard. "If everything goes as planned, she should be back to nailing perps in a few weeks."

A rush of relief washes over Scotty's entire being. His muscles start aching, telling him he's been tense this entire time. Lilly'll be back to giving him orders in no time. Dr. Casey gives a parting head nod before leaving the room with Ellie.

John observes his Detective, how his gaze is constantly flickering between the monitors and his partner's face. His usual air of pride and assurance is gone, replaced by panic and agony. John knows exactly what's going through Scotty's mind, he's been through it before himself.

"This wasn't your fault, Scotty."

The younger man's jaw clenches.

"Yeah, sure, Boss," Scotty spats, voice dripping with sarcasm. "And the reason you got shot wasn't 'cause you lied to a psychopath. Let's just pretend this whole thing was an accident."

John sighs, rubbing his forehead with his good hand. There really isn't much he can say at this point, Scotty isn't himself right now. He walks to the door, but pauses to glance over his shoulder.

"If it weren't for you, Scotty, Lil wouldn't be here. You did the right thing."

It starts with a trembling lip, trying so hard to hold the tears back, but one never fails to disobey and break the already cracking barrier. That one hot tear rolls down the cheek, signaling others to join the journey down. It's cleansing in a way, releasing all of those bottled up emotions.

But the crying that escalates to the point of violent sobs and harsh attempts to breathe is almost impossible to bear, and even harder to be the source of.


End file.
